The invention relates to a tiltable converter whose converter vessel is supported by means of lug pairs accommodating bearing forces and positioned on a carrying body arranged about its shell, the lugs of one lug pair being arranged to lie opposite each other on both sides of the carrying body.
It has been known to adjust the lugs that are arranged on both sides of the carrying body via shims, when mounting the converter vessel, such that the converter is held without play relative to the carrying ring even if the converter is tilted upside down, i.e. by 180.degree.. This mode of construction, however, which has proved successful in particular with big converters, has the disadvantage that in the course of a converter campaign, uneven thermal expansions cause the expansion of the shell of the vessel more than the carrying ring. As a result a play can form between the lugs and the carrying ring despite the shims, thus causing impacts between the vessel and the ring when the converter is tilted.
Various measures have been proposed in order to avoid the play that forms during a converter campaign. Theoretically, this can be achieved (U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,921) by providing the lugs with wedges whose oblique planes each rest on a corresponding oblique plane of a wedge that is supported on the carrying ring, the inclination of the oblique planes being chosen in accordance with the expected theoretical radial and axial expansions of the vessel. This solution, however, has not entered into practice, in particular with big converters, where an absolute lack of play is essential, since the ideal inclination angle of the wedges can be determined only in theory. A practical calculation of the angle is prevented because the converter vessel carries out movements relative to the carrying ring that cannot be exactly predetermined, due to thermal and mechanical influences.
For eliminating the play it has further been known (Austrian Pat. application No. A 8559/70) to mount the wedges arranged on the lower side of the carrying ring in a displaceable manner, spring packets being provided as displacement means. If the wedge angle in this case is larger than the angle of friction, the springs have to be dimensioned so strong that they will be capable of keeping the converter vessel in position when it is upside down. Consequently great additional forces act on the converter vessel and the carrying ring in the 0.degree.-position of the converter, i.e. in its upright position.